and you and me got up
and sat down again feeling as silly as two booby birds."

"Here, you don't know what you're talking about, messmate," said Bob
Hampton.

"Yes, he does," I cried excitedly, for a greater light seemed to have
now flashed into my brain. "You did go into the saloon to have--Oh, Bob
Hampton, I recollect it all now."

"Do you, sir? Then let's have it," he said gruffly.

"There was a great mistake made," I cried.

"Seems like it, sir."

"And, yes," I continued, "I know Barney went to sleep at the wheel."

"That's a lie!" he rapped out. "Leastwise, I beg your pardon, sir; I
mean I arn't the sort o' man to go to sleep on duty."

"No, no; of course not, Barney," I said piteously; "but you did, and Bob
Hampton and Neb Dumlow came and laid down on the deck, and I saw it all,
and heard it, and, oh dear, oh dear! what a terrible mess!"

"Arn't he going off his head, matey?" whispered Dumlow; but I heard him.

"No, no, man; it's all coming back now. You don't know, but you must
now; it was a plan to give the mutineers stuff to send them all to
sleep, and it was changed and given to us instead."

"Beg pardon, sir," said Bob Hampton; "but hadn't you better lie down and
go to sleep again?"

"Why, Bob?"

"'Cause, to speak plain English, you're talking nonsense, sir."

"No, man; it's sense. That fellow Dean heard all, and changed the
tins."

"Now, do lie down, sir; it's o' no use for you to go on worrying
yourself about tins."

"I tell you I can see it all now, man," I cried angrily. "We took the
stuff, and the prisoners got off. They're out now, and we're prisoners.
Don't you see?"

"No, sir; it's too dark. But--"

"I tell you I'm all right. My head is come clear again, and I can
think. We were all confused through taking Mr Frewen's stuff."

"I never took none o' the doctor's stuff," growled Dumlow. "And I don't
never mean to."

"Are you sure o' what you're saying, sir?" said Bob Hampton.

"Certain, Bob."

"I arn't."

"You hold your tongue, and don't be sarcy, Neb," growled Bob. "I'm
a-beginning to see now. Mr Dale's right. If he warn't, how could we
be shut up down here with our heads as thick as if we'd been having 'em
stuffed? That's it, sir, though I don't half understand what you say.
Then we've all been hocussed, and Jarette's got the upper hand again?"

"Yes, Bob, I'm afraid so."

"Well, that's ugly, my lad; but there's no help for it now, and the
sooner we ge